Oral history is the spoken reminiscences of a person with recollections and
stories of past events. Oral history can be a project in itself or a means of
gathering information for another activity. Either way, it can be very
satisfying and a wonderful way to connect youth to the community and your
community to the larger themes of American history.

Oral histories, like all primary sources, are the raw material of historical
scholarship, and working with any primary source can be very exciting,
especially for young people. Recording oral history has an element of detective
work, as the interviewer hears the subject's story unfold and tries to
understand what happened. And through oral history, young people can get a
firsthand account of the impact of events on people and communities, not simply
a description of the events.

Oral histories are only as accurate as human memory and individual perspective.
To ensure balance, the amateur historian should make sure he or she interviews
more than one source and should also verify any significant historical facts.

The Interviewee
The first step in conducting an oral history is locating subjects for
interviews. You can start with people you know whose families have lived in the
community for generations. You can also ask your local librarian or historical
society to suggest individuals who have some personal experience with the
subject you are studying. Community churches or synagogues often have records
going back several generations about people's lives and may be a good place to
find someone to interview. Researching genealogical records in your town hall
may yield potential interviewees. Or if your topic of interest is connected to
specific sites (for example, if you are researching stops on the Underground
Railroad), you can talk to the current or past owners of the houses or
buildings who may know relevant stories, or you can research past owners
through your town hall and follow up with those families.

You can also advertise for interview subjects through your local newspaper or
the newsletter of your local historical society. This method is used by many
filmmakers to identify potential interviewees for films on social history.

The Interview
Preparation and practice are very important for effective interviews. Suggest
that young people practice interviewing each other and family members until
they feel comfortable asking questions. Interviewers need to put their subjects
at ease in order to develop a trusting, open relationship. One way to do this
is to make sure you keep an open mind and are nonjudgmental about different
viewpoints and lifestyles.

Interviewers also need to be good listeners, so that they can sense when the
conversation has taken an interesting turn, and deviate from their prepared
list of questions if need be. If you are not willing to adapt your list of
questions, the interview may feel too formal and the subject may be less
inclined to speak freely. Most importantly, interviewers should find out as
much as possible about the subject's background before the interview, so they
can formulate appropriate questions.

If you already know the subject or someone else has already broached the idea,
you can call the subject to arrange an interview. If you don't know the person,
you might want to write an introductory letter explaining what you are doing
and why you think the subject's experiences are important. Follow up with a
telephone call to schedule the interview. In the meantime, collect as much
information on the person and the period as possible. Using this research,
prepare a list of questions you want to ask. Make sure the questions are
open-ended and require more than a yes or no answer. And unless you are adept
with shorthand, or the subject requests not to be recorded, use a tape recorder
to ensure the final product is accurate.

Following Up
After your interview, make sure you send a follow-up letter to thank your
subject for participating. Interviews are tiring and time-consuming for the
subject and so your gratitude will be appreciated. You also may want to contact
your subject later to clarify details or to check what you heard from another
interviewee. If the interview is contributing to your research for a larger
project, you might also want to invite the subject to any public event related
to your activities. Make sure you obtain permission from him or her in advance
to use the interview in a publication, exhibit, Web site, etc.